When Zero to Ten jumps at Rosehill he will be an outsider, but punters in a NSW town almost 370km away will back him past the post no matter what race it is.
With only five horse in the Group Three Colin Stephen Queen’s Cup on Saturday, Gundagai-based Zero To Ten will take home $2,500 for just finishing the race.
“People might think I’m crazy but that’s OK, it doesn’t worry me. He’s got a pretty good record,” Zero To Ten’s trainer and part-owner Jim Scobie told AAP.
The gelding will jump out against the Chris Waller-trained Junoob, two Godolphin stablemates and in-form Chaquinta in the first 2400m race in his four year career.
When Scobie bought the horse he came with a pretty poor record – after two years of racing he still had to break his maiden.
“He belonged to a good friend of mine and they couldn’t win a race with him. No one ever wanted anything to do with him again,” Scobie said.
Scobie intended to use him as a show jumper but decided to try him in a few races and Zero To Ten claimed his first victory at his fourth start for Scobie.
He now boasts $126,000 prize money and nine wins.
“I wouldn’t say that sits well with my good friend,” Scobie said.
After winning the Snake Gully Cup in 2015, Zero To Ten has become a bit of a hero to the locals of Gundagai and is called an ATM by Scobie’s son who also owns a stake in the seven-year-old.
“I haven’t got high expectations because that’s where most disappointments come from,” he said.
“I know he’s a tough horse. He’s not going to embarrass himself in a field like that.”
